Urban Renewal: Meeting the Challenges of Educational Growth
Nestled in the heart of Xi’an Gaoxin District, the Xi’an Gaoxin No.1 High School Expansion project by Qu Peiqing Studio unfolds as a response to the evolving landscape of urban development and educational demands. With a site area of 45.6 acres, the existing campus faced challenges like space constraints and increased traffic, prompting the need for a comprehensive renewal.
Strategic Concept: Stepping Up the Book Mountain and Green Island
Adopting the conceptual goal of ‘stepping up the book mountain and green island,’ the project focuses on shared campus space and three-dimensionality. Collaborating with stakeholders, including the school management committee, government departments, and construction units, the design team devised strategies to address the challenges.
Key Strategies for Transformation
- Expanding Scale and Coordinated Layout: Emphasizing overall coordination within the urban area by expanding the scale and congregating the layout.
- Shared Spaces: Facilitating sharing between the school and communities, solving internal and external campus issues in a three-dimensional approach.
- Modern Innovation: Simplifying design into modern terms, innovating for the time, and contributing to the creation of a new cityscape.
Project Execution and Completion
Commencing in August 2021, the project officially concluded at the end of August 2023, marking a two-year design and construction period. Named the Xi’an Gaoxin No.1 High School Expansion and Social Shared Car Park Construction Project, it boasts a total construction area of 78,549.31 square meters. This includes a ground construction area of 49,886.68 square meters (capacity: 48,831.17 square meters) and an underground construction area of 28,662.63 square meters.
Renewal and Construction Highlights
Retaining one original teaching building, the project encompasses a comprehensive teaching building (including dormitories), a lifted playground (with a gymnasium and a lecture hall), a sunken courtyard, an underground parking area, and a long outdoor corridor. Throughout the construction process, the design team meticulously applied concepts and controlling measures from various perspectives, ensuring the project’s integrity from city planning to cost management.
Xi’an Gaoxin No.1 High School’s revitalization serves as a testament to the interconnectedness of urban development, educational progress, and architectural innovation, setting the stage for a transformative learning environment.
